MacMaster: Unnecessary transfers jeopardize patients NDP ignore calls for CT scanner at Inverness Consolidated INVERNESS, NS - Allan MacMaster says the NDP government’s repeated refusal to put a CT scanner at Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital (ICMH) continues to jeopardize patient safety. Members of the community, including Dr. NG Pillai, chief of staff at ICMH, are travelling from Inverness today to protest inaction from the NDP and draw attention to this important safety issue. The closest CT scanners are in Sydney and Antigonish, both significant distances from residents who live in Inverness. “This is a serious gap that has been identified by our health authority and local health professionals," said MacMaster. “As a former paramedic, NDP Health Minister Dave Wilson must understand the severity of delaying treatment for patients requiring acute care, yet he is the only person saying a CT scanner is not needed at ICMH.” Inverness is served by one ambulance. If that ambulance is transferring a patient to Sydney or Antigonish for a CT scan, it can take an hour or more for another ambulance to respond, making it impossible to provide consistent, timely transport to a regional hospital. MacMaster says people who suffer a stroke or other acute illness may not be treated effectively. The NDP government has denied two requests to fund a CT scanner for ICMH, made for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 fiscal years. Dr. Pillai says the hospital needs the capacity to conduct CT scans due to its distance from regional hospitals. “The standard of care for acute illness requires investigation by a CT scan,” said Dr. Pillai. “We have an aging population more likely to require CT scans for strokes. The scans help physicians decide what action to take when treating accident victims and patients with head trauma often require a CT scan to determine the type and extent of the injury.” MacMaster says a PC government will put standards in place for smaller communities to access a CT scanner which would include distance from a regional centre.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Aug 2013 18:58:20 +0000
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